Sunday, November 9, 2008

Ebook reader: Devices you should not overlook

Ebook readers are becoming more and more popular, with Amazon's Kindle being a major driving force. Really, can there be any better advertisement for the concept of a small device specifically meant to replace traditional paper books than a prominent permanent ad on the main page of the biggest retailer on the planet? I had my own share of encounters with ebook readers, but overtime I realized that they may not be such a good idea after all. Primarily because almost everybody already has one or more electronic devices that can perform most functions of a book reader with ease. I still believe that he ePaper technology, used in ebook readers will continue to thrive, but at present you just may be better off with any one of the following devices:

  • PDA. Pocket-sized computers had the peak of popularity in the early 2000s. It is almost difficult to find them today, because smart phones took on most of their functions. Modern PDAs, such as ASUS 626 have large screens, very well suited for reading long texts. A wide selection of software is available, often at no cost, that allows one to read eBooks. My personal favorites are Haali Book reader and MobiBook.
  • Smart phone. Often these devices are the size of a PDA, but usually they have smaller screens.
  • Regular cellphone. Cell phones differ greatly in their configuration, but a lot of them have support for Java, which allows them to run ebook applications. It is extremely easy to load use such services as BooksInMyPhone.com